Limnichidae

Common name:

Number of species:

1

Size Range:

1-2mm

Tarsi:

5-5-5.

Description:

Only one species in Britain, Limnichus pygmaeus (Sturm), a 1.75mm oval beetle found on wet rocks in the splash zone of running water. Morphologically very similar to the pill beetles (Byrrhidae), the species is dark brown to black, oval, hairy and strongly convex, and can withdraw all appendages tightly against the underside of the body to play dead.